Review of "The Backup Plan"

Blockbusters is notorious for having a terrible selection of movies. The Parent Trap? Don’t have it. Philadelphia Story? Don’t have it. A typical Tuesday night, I had walked into Blockbusters with low expectations. But, low and behold, the new release wall was stocked and brimming over with current hit comedies and updated thrillers and dramas. Gone were the previous new releases of She’s the Man (2006) and Night at the Museum (2007). My eye immediately caught the enticing cover of The Backup Plan, starring Jennifer Lopez and Alex O’Loughlin. The film is about a woman named Zoe, (played by Jennifer Lopez), who desperately wanted to get pregnant. She soon becomes pregnant from a sperm donor just before running into her future soul mate (Alex O’Loughlin). There were a few details that occurred in-between, but none so important and memorable as to include in this summary. The majority of them consisted of repetitive arguments and bickering between the two leads. At least I think that’s what I think happened. It was so unmemorable I can’t be sure.

The skepticism started even before the opening scene began. The plot left me incredulous. How could a woman, as beautiful and glamorous as Jennifer Lopez, not find anybody who was even remotely interested in her? She walks around New York City in skin-tight dresses and boots with heels rivaling Lady Gaga’s, and not one guy (or girl) stops to take a second look. Even when she is drenched by rain and her dress somehow manages to get even tighter, she is not once approached. And in New York City nonetheless. A city with roughly 8.4 million people crammed into a cramped space of 305 square miles. Not one phone number or double-take. Not once. The pure dislike for the movie started flowing when Stan (played by Alex O’Loughlin), appeared. His first few lines made me cringe and watch in disgust as he stole a cab from a woman. Quite the charmer, that one. My tolerance for him significantly decreased as the film progressed. He goes on to act like a baby in every single scene, always overreacting (or perhaps overacting?) and moving inconsequential things to the drama queen level. His cocky attitude brings the film down multiple notches. What the directors failed to do was differentiate the meanings of a mysterious and seducing man with a past from a rude, surly child. Looks like somebody forgot to check their dictionary. Stan makes every problem look like it was Zoe’s fault. He’s even bothered that she chooses to sleep with a large pillow at night for comfort and belly support. And even though he agreed to help Zoe raise her babies, he absolutely must stage a meltdown every five minutes about the strain and stress of his life. His humongous doses of selflessness and support continue to amaze me.

So all things considered, I would give this movie a one star. If not for the aggravating characters and bad casting, the movie could have had more potential. The plot could have been more interesting and the movie more watchable if the film had not dragged through every single argument a new couple experiences. Jennifer Lopez was her usual bubbly, pleasant character. She didn’t take anything away from the film, but then again, she added little. My dad walked away after witnessing thirty minutes of this movie. And even that small amount of time is actually pretty substantial considering this movie’s awfulness. My recommendation for the future? Cast Jennifer Lopez with better actors. Remember Out of Sight where she played opposite George Clooney? Turns out the girl actually can act, just maybe not as well when she is surrounded by whiney boyfriends.